SPUSA Living Wage Commission: Statement of Solidarity with Verizon Workers

The Socialist Party stands in solidarity with the 40,000 Verizon workers who are currently on strike on the East Coast. At a time when Verizon is reporting billions of dollars in profits and compensates its corporate executives with tens of millions, the idea of trying to force workers into reductions in health care and retirement compensation is disgusting.

The hardship faced by the workers bravely standing on picket lines is indicative of a larger problem, one that cannot be solved by a signed contract or pay raise. That problem is capitalism – and the solution is socialism.

We support the right of workers to organize themselves and ultimately take control of their workplace and industry through democratic organization. Had the Verizon workers been able to cooperatively own and run their workplace, the issues that forced a strike would not exist. There would not be a CEO receiving $18.3 million dollars while asking workers to accept less. There would not be a corporation funneling over one billion dollars a month in profits away from the workers whose hard work created those profits. There would not be spouses and parents standing on a picket line while scabs are brought in to do their jobs. Instead, there would be economic democracy and prosperity for all workers.

Instead, there would be socialism.

The argument put forward by the corporate media that Verizon workers are to blame is completely false and only serves to divide us. Rather than denouncing our sisters and brothers for defending their livelihood, we should be standing with them.

We call on our local and state parties on the East Coast to support the striking Verizon workers in anyway possible. We also call on Verizon to immediately cease its attack on working people and instead agree to a contract that is reflective of the billions of dollars in profits that could only be possible with the strength of Verizon workers.